Candidates get grilled at forum in township

Fire territory bid, wheel tax heat up event.

Fire territory bid, wheel tax heat up event.

April 20, 2006|JAMIE LOO Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Just two days after Dyngus Day, the political hot spot to be for candidates was German Township on Wednesday night at the German Township Neighborhood Association Candidate's Night. The St. Joseph County wheel tax and German Township's postponed bid to join Clay Fire Territory were among the topics of the night. A total of 31 candidates for local, county, state and congressional office covering the township were invited to the event, and 20 showed up to introduce themselves and answer questions from residents, who packed the room at the German Township Community Center. Although the township has been shrinking because of annexation, it still has a strong voter base. About 67 percent of registered voters in the township cast ballots in the 2004 presidential election, according to county voting records. After introductions and three-minute speeches, township residents asked questions. Dorothy Snyder, candidate for state representative District 8, was asked about the Roseland Town Council's decision not to take a vote on German Township's request to join Clay Fire Territory. Snyder, who is the Roseland Town Council president but isn't seeking re-election in order to run for the Indiana House, was absent from the council meeting when the issue came up. Snyder said the Roseland Town Council was never contacted directly by German Township Trustee Dan Badur or the German Township advisory board regarding the matter. The Town Council didn't realize a public hearing needed to be conducted on the issue until the first week of March, she said. Snyder said Peter Agostino, the attorney for German Township and Clay Fire Territory, has a "conflict of interest" because he also represents Roseland residents suing the town. Snyder said he should've resigned."You have a fox in your henhouse," she said. "You don't need Peter Agostino. You need someone objective to help your township honestly." Phyllis Barkley, German Township advisory board president, said she didn't want to argue with Snyder. Barkley said it's a shame German Township cannot join the fire territory at this time, but it seemed that at the fire territory meetings, Snyder was aware the issue was coming up. "It was not on the table at the January meeting," Snyder said. "The only thing that was said at the meeting was that there was discussion going on." Snyder said Roseland was left out of the process completely. Snyder said all units in the fire territory should have had a meeting to discuss German Township's request. "I believe that because of your township attorney, Roseland was left out of the discussion," she said. The wheel tax and County Commissioner Mark Dobson's idea to eliminate the commissioners by creating one county executive also came up during the meeting. Dobson said having one elected executive would make county government more efficient. It's a concept that can also be used to combine positions, such as one trustee that can represent two townships. No changes would be considered until the concept went through public hearings and a referendum, Dobson said. "At the end of the day, this is something we as a community need to work on to eliminate layers of government," he said. County Prosecutor Mike Dvorak, who is seeking re-election, and County Council District A member Randy Pryzbysz were asked about the proposal for a Family Justice Center. A vote to appropriate money for the center, which would have services to aid victims of domestic violence, was postponed by the County Council on April 13. "How can they (county) justify paying $2.5 million on the First Bank building when there is no money for county roads?" asked Charlotte "Shotsie" Karasiak. Karasiak is also running for the County Council District A seat. Dvorak said the money for the building is coming from the county rainy day funds and cannot be used for roads. The building can be run through 2012 and cost the county nothing because rent from private tenants will pay for the building along with a federal grant to create the center. Dvorak said if the program doesn't work, the county can sell the building and recover all the money that was invested in it. "It really is no cost to county government. It will be paid for by tenants and it really addresses a serious concern in this community, women who are victims and children who are victims," Dvorak said. Candidates who spoke at the meeting included: congressional candidates for the 2nd District, Joe Donnelly and Tony Zirkle; County Commissioner District 1 incumbent Dobson and candidate David Nufer; German Township trustee candidates Harold House and Irv Staszewski; German Township advisory board incumbent Barkley; County Council District A incumbent Pryzbysz and candidates Joe Thomas, Joan Stephens and Karasiak; county prosecutor incumbent Dvorak and candidate Greg Kauffman; candidate for District 8 state representative Snyder; District 11 Senate candidate Pat McQuade; county assessor incumbent David Wesolowski; and county sheriff incumbent Frank Canarecci.